Crawford avalanche., 1887-07-28
UTAH'S STATEHOOD.
The Recent Constitutional Convention
Participated In by MOrmOns
Alone.
What They Hope to Accomplish by
Admission to the UniOn-A
Shrewd Scheme.

We are permitted to make the following
extract from private letter from a MEM
ber of the Utah Commission, now in ses-
sion at Salt Lake City. 1t throws flood
OF light upon the movement of the Nor
mons for statehood, and the motives
governing their action, and will be read
with interest:
SALT LAKE CITY, July 21.
Our commission IL very busy
getting the election machinery in order for
the coming election, which takes place on
the frs. Monday in August. There is a
good deal of excitement here on the sub
ject; not between Democrats and Repub-
licans, but between Mormons and gentiles,
or anti Mormons.
The movement for O constitutional con-
vention which you observed and mentioned
while was in Chicago was a spontaneous
movement among the Mormons. When L
say spontaneous movement 1t must be
understood TO mean that the movement
originated with the Mormon leaders, who
In their own way gave forth the informa-
tion that such action was to be taken, which
was all that was needed to make it q sue
cess. Mass meetings were held in every
county in the Territory, and delegates
chosen, who assembled by preconcerted ar
rangement in this city on the lst day Of July,
formally organized themselves as con-
stitutional convention, and in about seven
days Matched out constitution in which
polygamy is declared q misdemeGnOr, and
forever prohibited; and another prohibiting
any union of church and state. This lat
ter provision was wholly unnecessary, since
dominion of the church rulers, to whom
every Mormon owes sworn allegiance,
and who from the Temple can dictate the
whole policy of the State, when admitted,
without the clerical hand ever being seen.
In the event of admission 0s State nine
tenths of all the office-holders would be
Mormons. The Governor, Judges, Sem
ators, Representatives and all officers would
be Mormons, and the whole policy of the
State, Legislative, executive, and Judicial,
would be Mormon and in Mormon inter-
ests. Punishment for the crimes of polyg-
amy and bigamy would be in their own
hands, iudg and iuries being Mormons,
hence there would be no convictions nor
any punishment for these offenses. And
they would not consider that they had done
any wrong in not doing SO, for they claim,
and many believe, that these practices are
carried on by the sanction of God Almighty
That it is not only permitted but en-
Joined as religious duty; and
they are taught that their obedi-
ence to God and His revelations is
snpeIOr TO any hn9on law Thethsy hsgy,sgSdS ,sgsI
though standing ou. boldly in the consti-
tuition, would be dead letter and have nc
more meaning or binding force than sc
many meaningless hieroglyphics on an
Egyptian pyramid. There is another no.
ticeable fact. Tho leading polygamist'
are not taking any active part in the pro-
ceedinR, and are in position not to bt
caught by any promises or prohibitions
They will hold still, letting 1t be under
stood that they are asserting when they
really are not, because they wish the Ter
ritory admitted as aiState, so that the Nor
mons may get control of the country, wheI
thew will forge to the front and assume thu
reins of power. There are some yer!
shrewd, far-seeing men among them, ant
they are laying their plans wide and deep
and to extend far into the future.
The constitution is to be submitted at tn
general election for approval or rejection
by the people, and 1t is probable there will
not be a vote against it, since the GENTLE
wholly and totally ignore the whole pro
ceeding, and will not take any no
tice Of it except to denounce
as being the sublimity OF hypocrisy an
| deceit. III Will got tuO luAA 'OeO va w.
Mormons who can vote. Many OF theI
are disfranchised. and will not vote; nc
that thew could not do 30, as the election
not held under any election law, but the
wish to publish to the world that none bu
qualified electors voted on It. And the
will abstain from voting from motives
policy otherwise.
think the press of the country ought
take up this question and ventilate IN
motives and inducements that are movin
10 the adoption of this Constitution, 80
TO prepare the public mind for an exprei
sion on it. In my opinion Utah shoul
never be admitted as State until the Coz
stitution of the United States is amended
prob biting bigamy and polygamy in q
the States and Territories, declaring the
} felonies, and giving the United Stat
} Courts jurisdiction of them and the pow
/. to select iuries who do not respect the d
vine right of those crimes.
> Suppose Utah were admitted as Stat
. what is there to prevent these Mormon
: who are in large majority, from immed
ately calling together a convention al
: framing new constitution, with the poly
amy prohibition clause left out? And wh
could then be done under tho doctrine
4 States rights and home ruler